Les Règles confronts the social, economic, and cultural forces that shape our understanding of menstruation. Drawing on the theories of Julia Kristeva, Judith Butler, Laura Mulvey, and Kimberlé Crenshaw, this research explores how menstrual stigma is socially constructed through societal disgust, media representation, and intersecting systems of oppression involving gender, race, and class. 

Menstruation remains a stigmatized and inaccessible topic in the United States, despite being a common and inherent experience for roughly half the population. Cultural beliefs that frame menstruation as “impure” and “unclean” continue to perpetuate societal taboos and internalize shame, limiting access to education, advocacy, and period products.1 

While menstruation is a natural biological process, oppression persists through period poverty, restrictive policies, and widespread discomfort with open conversations about the topic.2 Today, 16.9 million people in the U.S. experience period poverty, unable to afford the products they need for basic menstrual care.3 

Through a series of luxury-designed objects made from tampons, pads, and pantyliners, Les Règles subverts the concept of indulgence by replacing it with necessity, asking viewers to consider what it means when basic care is treated as a luxury. These objects are reimagined as advertisements, drawing inspiration from Vogue covers, high-end branding, and commercial design. Presented as faux ads, they expose the uncomfortable economic and cultural truths behind menstrual care. 

By reimagining product design and advertising aesthetics through the lens of menstrual design, viewers are asked to challenge period narratives and the value, visibility and politics of menstruation. 

1 Dammery, First Blood. 2016. 

2 Bhoda et al., “Examining Menstrual Health,” 470. 

3 Sacca et al., “Editorial: Period Poverty,” 2240981.